Thin film battery with protective packaging

ABSTRACT

A battery comprises a substrate comprising an electrolyte between a pair of conductors, at least one conductor having a non-contact surface. A cap is spaced apart from the non-contact surface of the conductor by a gap having a gap distance d g  of from about 1 μm to about 120 μm. The gap allows the conductor to expand into the gap. The gap is further bounded by side faces about a surrounding perimeter that may be sealed with a seal. In one version, the ratio of the surface area of the non-contact surfaces on the conductor to the total surface area of the side faces is greater than about 10:1. A pliable dielectric can also be provided in the gap.

BACKGROUND

Batteries having thin film components are typically manufactured using processing techniques used to fabricate semiconductors or displays. Their small size allows thin film batteries to be used in many applications, such as for example, portable electronics, medical devices, and space systems. The energy density and specific energy of thin film batteries, which express the energy capacity of the battery per unit volume and weight, respectively, are important performance measures, and consequently, it is desirable to increase the energy density and specific energy of such batteries.

The battery components, such as the anode, cathode and electrolyte, can be sensitive to exposure to the surrounding external environment, for example air, oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, moisture and organic solvents. Thus, protective packaging for the battery cell is provided to reduce or eliminate exposure of the thin films to the external environment. For example, a protective sheet of polymer can be laminated onto the battery structure to serve as protective packaging. However, the resultant laminate structure is often much thicker than the original battery. For example, the laminated sheets typically have to be tens or hundreds of micrometers thick to provide adequate protection and structural support, whereas the battery component themselves are only a few micrometers thick. Thus, the laminated packaging substantially increases the weight and volume of the battery, and consequently, reduces its energy density.

A protective covering film deposited onto the battery structure in the same way as the component films of the battery can also serve as protective packaging. Such protective films can include ceramics, metals and parylene. However, such films often do not provide complete protection for a sufficiently long time and can allow gases or other atmospheric elements to leach through the films in a relatively short time of only a few months. These covering films also do not provide adequate structural support, and their use may entail additional packaging to increase the structural strength of the battery, and thus further reduce its energy density. Furthermore, these films have to also be several tens of micrometers thick to provide adequate environmental protection, and this additional thickness further reduces energy density.

A sheet of glass can also be positioned over the battery component films to serve as protective packaging. However, the glass sheet presents an inflexible boundary to the underlying battery component films. For example, the anode typically expands and contracts during the charge and discharge cycles of the battery. The inflexible glass sheet restricts such expansion creating mechanical stresses in the anode which may eventually lead to mechanical or chemical failure and reduce the lifetime or degrade the performance of the battery. The glass sheet is also typically too thick and weighty, thus further reducing the energy density and specific energy of the battery.

Thus, there is a need for a battery that protects against the environmental elements for the battery component films. There is also a need for a battery having relatively high energy density and specific energy. There is further a need for a battery that provides protection to the comprising components for long periods of time. There is also a need for a battery having adequate structural support.

SUMMARY

A battery comprises a substrate comprising an electrolyte between a pair of conductors. At least one conductor has a non-contact surface. A cap is provided that is spaced apart from the conductor with the non-contact surface by a gap having a gap distance d_(g) of from about 1 μm to about 120 μm. The spaced apart gap allows the conductor can expand into the gap.

In another version, the battery comprises a first substrate comprising an electrolyte between a first pair of conductors with at least one of the first pair of conductors having a first non-contact surface, and a second substrate comprising an electrolyte between a second pair of conductors with at least one of the second pair of conductors having a second non-contact surface. A first gap is provided about the first non-contact surface of the first pair of conductors and a second gap is provided about the second non-contact surface of the second pair of conductors. The first and second gaps each comprise a gap distance d_(g) of from about 1 μm to about 120 μm, whereby the first and second gaps allow the first and second conductors to expand into the gaps.

In a further version, a battery with first and second substrates also has a pliable dielectric abutting at least one of the first or second non-contact surfaces, the pliable dielectric having a thickness sufficiently thick to prevent generated electrical currents from passing therethrough and sufficiently thin to block diffusion of external gases from the peripheral edge of the pliable dielectric to the first and second pairs of conductors.

In yet another version, a battery comprises a substrate having (i) a first surface comprising a first battery cell comprising a first electrolyte between a first pair of conductors, at least one of the first pair of conductors having a first non-contact surface, and (ii) a second surface comprising a second electrolyte between a second pair of conductors, at least one of the second pair of conductors having a second non-contact surface. A first cap is spaced apart from the first non-contact surface of a conductor by a first gap having a gap distance d_(g1) of from about 1 μm to about 120 μm, whereby the conductor can expand into the first gap. A second cap is spaced apart from the second non-contact surface of a conductor by a second gap having a gap distance d_(g2) of from about 1 μm to about 120 μm, whereby the conductor can expand into the second gap.

In a further version, a battery comprises a substrate having a surface with a plurality of interconnected battery cells on the substrate surface. Each battery cell comprises an electrolyte having opposing surfaces, and first and second conductors contacting the opposing surfaces of the electrolyte, at least one conductor having a non-contact surface. At least one electrical connector strip connects the battery cells. The electrical connector strip has a foot that extends underneath a first conductor of a battery cell and a head that extends over a second conductor of an adjacent battery cell to electrically couple the battery cells to one another.

DRAWINGS

These features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, which illustrate examples of the invention. However, it is to be understood that each of the features can be used in the invention in general, not merely in the context of the particular drawings, and the invention includes any combination of these features, where:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a battery comprising a single battery cell on a substrate with a gap between the battery cell and a facing cap;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a battery comprising two facing battery cells with a gap therebetween and enclosed by caps which are the substrates themselves;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the battery of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a battery comprising two facing battery cell on adjacent and separate substrates and a third battery cell on a substrate which also serves as a cap;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view a battery having facing batteries with a pliable dielectric therebetween and caps formed by the substrates themselves;

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of a battery comprising a stack of battery cells connected in series; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view of a battery comprising a stack of batteries connected in parallel;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a battery comprising battery cells on two opposing surfaces of a single substrate with two caps;

FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view of a battery comprising an exemplary arrangement of a stack of double sided battery cells connected in series;

FIG. 10 is a schematic sectional view of a battery comprising an exemplary arrangement of a stack of double sided battery cells connected in a parallel;

FIG. 11A is a schematic top view of a battery comprising an arrangement of battery cells formed on a single side of a substrate and connected in series; and

FIG. 11B is a schematic side sectional view of an arrangement of battery cells formed on one side of a substrate and also connected in series.

DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of a battery 20 having features of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The battery 20 is useful in many applications requiring small size, high specific energy and energy density, and resistance to environmental elements. In the version shown, the battery 20 comprises a single battery cell 22 enclosed on one side by the substrate 24 and on the other side by a cap 26 facing the substrate 24. The enclosure formed by the substrate 24 and cap 26 protects the thin films of the battery cell from the external environment. The substrate 24 is made from a material that is suitably impermeable to environmental elements, has a relatively smooth surface 32 upon which to form thin films, and also has sufficient mechanical strength to support the deposited thin films at fabrication temperatures and at battery operational temperatures. The substrates 24 may be an insulator, semiconductor, or a conductor, depending upon the desired electrical properties of the exterior substrate surface 28 a. For example, the substrate 24 can also be made from aluminum oxide or glass, or even aluminum or steel, depending on the application.

In one version, the substrate 24 comprises mica, which is a layered silicate typically having a muscovite structure, and a stoichiometry of KAl₃Si₃O₁₀(OH)₂. Mica has a six-sided planar monoclinical crystalline structure with good cleavage properties along the direction of the large planar surfaces. Because of this crystal structure, mica may be split into thin foils along its cleavage direction to provide thin substrates 24 having surfaces which are smoother than most chemically or mechanically polished surfaces. Chemically, mica is stable and inert to the action of most acids, water, alkalies, and common solvents, making it a good surface covering for the battery. Electrically, mica has good dielectric strength, a uniform dielectric constant, and low electrical power loss factor. Mica is also stable at high temperatures of up to 600° C. and has good tensile strength. A mica substrate 24 having a thickness of less than about 100 μm, and more typically from about 4 μm to about 25 μm, is sufficiently strong to provide a good mechanical support for the battery 20. This substrate thickness also provides a good barrier to external gases and liquids in the direction normal to the cleavage plane of the planar strata and is thus capable of providing good environmental protection in many different environments. Mica also has a relatively low weight and volume, thus improving the specific energy and energy density of the battery.

At the other side of the battery cell 22, facing the substrate 24 is a cap 26 that serves as a portion of the battery enclosure. The cap 26 is typically made from a material that is resistant to environmental degradation and provides an impenetrable seal from external gases and liquids. The cap 26 can also comprise the same material as the substrate 24, such as a sheet of mica, in which case both wide area sides of the battery are enclosed by mica sheets. The substrate 24 or cap 26 can also be made from other materials, including quartz, metal foil, metalized plastic film, metal casing, ceramic casing or glass casing. In one example, the entire enclosure is made from a cap 26 comprising a metal foil that is joined together at its edges by solder or glue, as for example shown in FIG. 7. The substrate 24 and cap 26 can also be made from different materials, for example, a substrate 24 of mica and a cap 26 of metal foil.

The substrate 24 and facing cap 26 form a large percentage of the external enclosing surface area of the battery 20 that protects the internal battery structure from exposure and corrosion by the surrounding environment. For example, in one type of battery, the exterior surface 28 a of the substrate 24 itself forms approximately 45% of the total external area of the battery 20, and another 45% of the total external area is formed by the exterior surface 28 b of the cap 26. The remaining 10% or less of external area of the battery 20 occurs along a plurality of side faces 30 that are the spaces between the cap 26 and substrate 24. Preferably, the battery 20 is fabricated so that at least one substrate 24, on which a battery cell 22 is formed, serves to also form a large percentage of the area of the battery 20 that is exposed to the surrounding environment. Thus, in the battery shown in FIG. 1, about 45% of the external surface area of the battery 20 is formed by the exterior surface 28 a of the substrate 24, and the exterior surface 28 b of the cap 26 forms about another 45%, with the remaining 10% is formed by the side faces 30. In the alternative, when the substrate 24 and cap 26 are made from the same material, for example, two sheets of mica—about 90% of the external surface area of the battery 20 arises from the surfaces 28 a,b. By using the substrate 24 itself, to serve as the supportive structure for the battery 20 as well as the enclosing environment, the weight and volume of the enclosing structure is minimized, thereby increasing the energy density of the battery.

Each battery cell 22 of the battery 20 comprises a plurality of conductors 40 a,b that are on opposing surfaces of an electrolyte 84. The conductors 40 a,b are made from conducting metals and can serve as electrodes 60 a,b, current collectors 72 a,b, adhesion film, or combinations thereof. For example, the first pair of conductors 40 a can include an anode electrode 60 a, and optionally, can also include an anode current collector 72 a. In some versions, an anode current collector 72 a is not used because the anode 60 a serves both as the anode current collector and the anode itself. The second pair of conductors 40 b can include a cathode electrode 60 b and an optional cathode current collector 72 b. The position and order of the conductors 40 a,b may be interchanged, for example, the position of the anode 60 a and anode current collector 72 a may be interchanged with the position of the cathode 60 b and cathode current collector 72 b. Thus, the claims should not be limited to the illustrative version shown in the drawings. In the version shown in FIG. 1, when used, the anode current collector 72 a and the cathode current collector 72 b are both formed on the surface of the substrate 24 and the other layers are deposited over these layers.

The electrodes, namely the anode 60 a and cathode 60 b, each comprise an electrochemically active material, such as, for example, amorphous vanadium pentoxide V₂O₅, or one of several crystalline compounds such as TiS₂, LiMnO₂, LiMn₂O₂, LiMn₂O₄, LiCoO₂ and LiNiO₂. The electrodes 60 a,b typically have a thickness that is sufficiently thick to provide good current carrying capacity and sufficiently thin to minimize expansion stresses and electrical resistance for the passage of both ions and electrons. A suitable thickness for the electrodes 60 a,b is from about 0.1 μm to about 20 μm. In one version, electrodes 60 a,b are made from a lithium film which is sufficiently conductive to also serve as the current collectors 72 a,b, and in this version the electrodes 60 a,b and the current collectors 72 a,b are the same. In yet another version, one or more of the electrodes 60 a,b may be made from metals; as one example, the anode 60 a may be made from a metal such as copper.

The current collectors 72 a,b provide a conducting surface from which electrons may be dissipated or collected from the electrodes 60 a,b. The current collectors 72 a,b are thus shaped and sized to increase electron conductivity to or from the electrodes 60 a,b and are formed over or below the electrodes to electrically couple to them. The current collectors 72 a,b are typically conductive layers comprising metal-containing materials, such as for example, metal, non-reactive metal, metal alloy, metal silicide, or mixtures thereof. For example, in one version, each current collector 72 a,b comprises a non-reactive metal such as silver, gold, platinum or aluminum. The advantage to using a non-reactive metal is that the battery 20 may be processed at relatively high temperatures after forming the current collectors 72 a,b without the current collector material reacting with other component films of the battery 20. However, in other versions, the current collectors 72 a,b need not be a non-reactive metal. The current collectors 72 a,b have a thickness selected to provide a suitable electrical conductivity; for example, in one version, the current collectors 72 a,b have thicknesses of from about 0.05 μm to about 5 μm.

The battery 20 may also comprise one or more adhesion layers (not shown) deposited on the substrate 24 or other layers to improve adhesion of overlying layers. The adhesion layer can comprise a metal such as, for example, titanium, cobalt, aluminum, other metals; or a ceramic material such as, for example, LiCoO_(x), which may comprise a stoichiometry of LiCoO₂. In one version, the adhesion layer is deposited on the substrate 24 and comprise the same material as the current collectors 72 a,b.

The battery 20 also comprises an electrolyte 84 between the pair of conductors 40 a,b such as the anode 60 a and the cathode 60 b. The electrolyte 84 may be, for example, an amorphous lithium phosphorus oxynitride film, also known as a LiPON film. In one embodiment, the LiPON is of the form Li_(x)PO_(y)N_(z) in an x:y:z ratio of about 2.9:3.3:0.46. In one version, the electrolyte 84 has a thickness of from about 0.1 ∥m to about 5 μm. This thickness is suitably large to provide sufficiently high ionic conductivity and suitably small to reduce ionic pathways to minimize electrical resistance and reduce stress.

The battery 20 has a single separation gap 100 between a non-contact surface 42 of a conductor 40 a, such as a surface of an electrode 60 a, formed on the substrate 24 and the cap 26. The separation gap 100 can either be a space between the conductor 40 a and the cap 26. The separation gap 100 provides room for the components of the battery cell 22 to expand and move during operation of the battery 20. For example, the battery cell 22 may generate or receive heat during operation which may cause the conductors 40 a,b, for example, the electrodes 60 a,b, optional current collectors 72 a,b or other components of the battery cell 22, to undergo thermal expansion. The electrodes 60 a,b or the electrolyte 84, or both, may also experience expansion or contraction of their volume due to the removal or addition of material to these layers through electrochemical processes occurring during operation of the battery 20. Without the separation gap 100, components of the battery 20 would have no room to expand and may experience undesirable mechanical stresses, which could lead to reduced performance or failure of the battery 20. For example, undesirable mechanical stresses may result in a physical failure, such as a breakage or delamination, of a comprising battery cell film. This may cause a discontinuity in an electrical path of the battery 20 or a parasitic electrical resistance that may reduce performance of the battery 20, such as reducing the output voltage, power storage capacity, or charging time.

The separation gap 100 has a gap distance d_(g) that is selected to be sufficiently large to provide room for expansion of battery components. The gap distance d_(g) is selected to be sufficiently small to avoid excessively impacting the energy density of the battery 20. For example, in one version, the gap distance d_(g) is selected to be from about 1 μm to about 120 μm. In another version, the gap distance d_(g) is selected to be less than about 10 μm. The gap 100 is bounded by the non-contact surface 42, which is on at least one of the conductors 40 a,b and the side faces 30 which are the originally open side facing regions around the perimeter edge of the gap 100 not enclosed by the substrate 24 or cap 26. The total area of the side faces 30 is maintained small by maintaining a small gap distance d_(g) to reduce the diffusion or passage of gas species that enter the battery 20 from the side faces 30 and travel to the conductor 40 or other films of the battery and cause corrosion or other degradation of the thin films. Thus, preferably, the ratio of the area of the non-contact surface 42 of the conductor 40 a to the total area of the side faces 30 is at least about 10:1 and more preferably, from about 20:1 to about 50:1. The total area of the side faces 30 is the cumulative area of the side faces 30. The separation gap 100 presents a location where the components of the battery cell 22 might be exposed to undesirable atmospheric elements if otherwise unprotected. A narrow gap 100 defines a narrow passage that limits migration of gas or other contaminant species from the external environment to the conductors 40 a,b.

To further reduce or entirely prevent migration of gas species from the side faces 30 to the conductors 40 a,b and other thin films, a seal 120 extends around the side faces 30 of the gap 100. The seal 120, in conjunction with the substrate 24, provides a hermetic boundary between the battery components and environmental elements. For example, the seal 120 is environmentally stable and provides a barrier against moisture. Preferably, the seal 120 comprises a moisture permeability of less than about 10 g/(mil*inch²)/day. The seal 120 can also be pliant to allow lateral expansion of the conductors 40 a,b by being made form a pliable dielectric or conducting material. For example, the seal 120 can be made from epoxy, polymerized ethylene acid copolymer, Apiezon® (M&I Materials LTC, U.K.), paraffin, wax, Surlyn® (Dupont de Nemours), or mixtures thereof. The seal 120 may also comprise a conductive material such as metal or ceramic powder filled epoxy and low melting point metal such as indium, tin, lead, or mixtures thereof. When conductive materials are used as seals, they need to be insulated from the current collectors 72 a,b.

In the version illustrated in FIG. 2, the battery 20 comprises two battery cells 22 a,b that face one another with a separation gap 100 therebetween. The first battery cell 22 a comprises a first pair of conductors 40 a, 40 b on a first substrate 24 a; and the second battery cell 22 b comprises a second pair of conductors 40 c, 40 d on a second substrate 24 b. In this version, each conductor 40 a-d comprises an electrode 60 a-d and a current collector 72 a-d. For example, in cell 22 a, the pair of conductors 40 a, 40 b comprises an anode 60 a and cathode 60 b, respectively, and also includes two current collectors comprising an anode current collector 72 a and a cathode current collector 72 b, respectively. Similarly, in cell 22 b, the pair of conductors 40 c, 40 d comprises an anode 60 c and cathode 60 d, respectively, and also includes two current collectors comprising an anode current collector 72 c and a cathode current collector 72 d, respectively. The position and order of the conductors 40 a-d may be interchanged, for example, the position of the anodes 60 a,c and anode current collectors 72 a,c may be interchanged with the position of the cathode 60 b,d and cathode current collector 72 b,d. In the version shown in FIG. 2, both current collectors 72 a,b are formed on the substrate 24 a. The separation gap 100 between the battery cells 22 a,b also prevents cross-talk between electrically independent conductors, such as the electrodes 60 a,d from opposing battery cells 22 a,b which face each other across the gap 100.

The battery 20 comprises a set of battery terminals 88 a,b to the exterior surface of the battery 20, as shown in FIG. 3. The terminals 88 comprise a negative terminal 88 a and a positive terminal 88 b. The battery 20 can also comprise multiple sets of terminals that include a first set of positive and negative terminals, and a second set of positive and negative terminals. The terminals 88 a,b can be exposed portions of the current collectors 72 c,d, respectively, as for example, shown in FIG. 3, where a portion of each current collector 72 c,d extends out from the interior of the battery 20 to present a surface to the exterior environment that acts as the terminals 88 a,b. Each terminal 88 a,b that is an exposed surface of a current collector 72 c,d is an electrical thin film conductor substantially free of defects, and can be made of the same material as the current collectors 72. In another version, the terminal 88 is a metal foil or wire that is attached to the current collector 72.

In the version of FIG. 2, the battery 20 comprises a single separation gap 100 between a non-contact surface 42 a of the first pair of conductors 40 a, 40 b and a non-contact surface 42 b of the second pair of conductors 40 c, 40 d, with at least one of the first pair of conductors 40 a, 40 b spaced apart from at least one of the second pair of conductors 40 c, 40 d by the gap distance d_(g). In this version, the battery 20 comprises two complete battery cells 22 a,b, each battery cell 22 a,b producing a battery cell voltage across an independent set of terminals (not shown). The two battery cells 22 a,b can be electrically independent with separate terminals or can be connected in series or in parallel. In this version, the separation gap 100 is between a conductor 40 and the second substrate 24 b, which serves as a cap 26. The cap 26 can also be a material that is impermeable to aforementioned environmental elements, such as for example, glass. The separation gap 100 can either be a space between the conductor 40 and the cap 26 or the gap 100 can be filled with a pliable material as described below. The gap 100 can also have electrical connectors that extend thorough the gap 100 to connect one or more of the conductors 40 on the substrate 24 to the external environment, as described below.

In yet another version, the battery 20 comprises a plurality of battery cells 22 with a plurality of separation gaps 100 between the cells. For example, in one version, such as the version shown in FIG. 4, the battery 20 comprises three battery cells 22 a-c with two separation gaps 100 a,b having gap distances d_(g) and d_(g2). In this version, the battery 20 comprises three battery cells 22 a-c, each cell 22 electrically independent from the others and presenting an independent pair of terminals (not shown) to the exterior of the battery. The first separation gap 100 a having a gap distance d_(g) is located between a non-contact surface 42 a of one of the first pair of conductors 40 a, 40 b and a non-contact surface 42 b of one of the second pair of conductors 40 c, 40 d. The second separation gap 100 b having a gap distance d_(g2) is located between the second substrate 24 b and one of a third pair of conductors 40 e, 40 f formed on a third substrate 24 c. Each substrate 24 a-c has only one surface with the battery cells 22 a-c on it. In this battery 20, the battery cells 22 a-c are connected such that the substrates 24 a-c themselves form the battery caps, thereby efficiently using the battery cell components to provide a battery with a higher specific energy.

In the version of FIG. 5, the separation gap 100 is formed between the non-contact surfaces 42 a,b of two facing battery cells 22 a,b and is filled by a pliable dielectric 128. The pliable dielectric 128 has enough flexibility to allow expansion of film components of the facing battery cells 22 a,b into the filled gap 100. The pliable dielectric 128 also electrically insulates the component films of the battery cells 22 a,b and allows the conductors 40 a-d about the electrolytes 84 a,b to change volume during charge and discharge cycles. Thus, the pliable dielectric 128 comprises a material that does not react with the conductors 40 a-d and can withstand pressures applied to the battery 20 during conventional use, without excessive deformation. For example, preferably, the pliable dielectric 128 is capable of withstanding a pressure of up to about 1 kg/mm² with a thickness deformation of less than about 0.1 mm. The pliable dielectric 128 should also be flexible under an applied pressure. In terms of insulative properties, the pliable dielectric 128 can have a resistivity greater than 10⁴ Ωcm. The presence of the pliable dielectric 128 may reduce the minimum gap distance required to prevent electrical communication between conductors 40 in separate battery cells 22. The pliable dielectric 128 may comprise grease (Apiezon®) wax, paraffin, mineral oil or any material that does not react with the conductor, or mixtures thereof. The advantage of using grease is its lower viscosity results in a smaller gap. The pliable dielectric 128 may also comprise other materials. Generally, the pliable dielectric 128 should have a thickness sufficiently thick to prevent generated electrical currents from passing therethrough and sufficiently thin to block diffusion of external gases from the peripheral edge of the pliable dielectric 128 to the thin films of the battery cells 22 within the battery 20. A suitable thickness of the pliable dielectric 128 is from about 1 μm to about 20 μm. The pliable dielectric 128 may be both the dielectric in the separation gap 100 and the seal 120 about the perimeter formed by the side faces 30 of the separation gap 100.

The battery 20 may also comprise a protective layer 124 about some of the components of the battery 20, as shown in FIG. 5. For example, the protective layer 124 can be positioned between the conductors 40 and the separation gap 100 or between the conductors 40 a-d and the substrates 24 a,b. The protective layer is also pliant and allows the electrodes 60 to change volume during charge/discharge. The protective layer 124 provides further protection to the battery cell component films from atmospheric elements, such as, for example, during manufacture of the battery 20. The protective layer 124 also presents a hermetic boundary between the protected components and the environmental elements. The protective layer 124 may need to protect for a relatively short period of time, for example, only during certain steps of the manufacturing process. Thus, the comprising material of the protective layer 124 need not provide the same degree of protection as the seal 120 and the substrates 24. The protective layer 124 may comprise parylene, dielectric material, or mixtures thereof. The protective layer 124 may also comprise other materials. However, the protective layer 124 does not need to be included only in this particular embodiment, and can be found in any embodiment of the battery 20.

Still further versions of the battery 20 comprising a plurality of interconnected battery cells 22 a-c are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 shows a battery 20 comprising a first battery cell 22 a having a first pair of conductors 40 a, 40 b on a first substrate 24 a, a second battery cell 22 b having and a second pair of conductors 40 c, 40 d on a second substrate 24 b, and a third battery cell 22 c having a third pair of conductors 40 e, 40 f on a third substrate 24 c. Each of the conductors 40 a-f comprises an electrode 60 a-f and a current collector 72 a-f. The electrodes comprise an anode 60 a,c,e and a cathode 60 b,d,f, and the two current collectors comprising an anode current collector 72 a,c,e and a cathode current collector 72 b,d,f. The position and order of the conductors 40 a-f may be interchanged, for example, the position of the anode 60 a,c,e and anode current collector 72 a,c,e may be interchanged with the position of the cathode 60 b,d,f and cathode current collector 72 b,d,f. The battery cells 22 a-c are connected in series with the electrical connectors 130 a-d which terminate in two terminals 88 a,b. The electrical connectors 130 a-d can pass through holes in the substrates 24 a-c as shown. This version is useful for protecting the current collector and electrical connectors from the environment and to obtain higher voltage.

FIG. 7 also shows three battery cells 22 a-c connected in parallel with electrical connectors 130 a-d which extend around the cells 22 a-c and terminate in two terminals 88 a,b. In this battery 20, the battery cells 22 a-c are enclosed by a housing 131 comprising two pieces of metal foil 132 a,b that wrap around the battery cells 22 a-c and are joined with adhesive or solder at their center. The joined electrical connectors 130 a-d pass through the housing 131 to form the terminals 88 a,b. The housing 131 can serve as shield to prevent electrical or magnetic field from disturbing operation of the battery 20. The housing 131 can also be formed from metalized plastic films, polymer layers, ceramic layers, or metal sheeting. This version is useful in adverse or hostile environments, or where it is desirable for the battery 20 to have improved mechanical strength and to obtain more current and capacity.

In another version, as shown in FIG. 8, the battery 20 comprises dual battery cells 22 a,b which are formed on opposing surfaces 32 a,b of a single substrate 24. For example, a first battery cell 22 a is formed on a first surface 32 a of the substrate 24, and a second battery cell 22 b is formed on a second surface 32 b of the substrate 24. Each battery cell 22 a,b comprises an electrolyte 84 a,b between a pair of conductors 40 a,b and 40 c,d respectively. At least one of each pair of conductors 40 a-d has a non-contact surface 42 a,b on either side of the substrate 24 that faces a cap 26 a,b, and is further surrounded along its edges by seals 120 a,b that enclose the side faces 30 a,b. The housing enclosure formed by the caps 26 a,b and the side seals 120 a,b protects the thin films of the battery 20 from the surrounding ambient environment. Such a battery 20 provides an energy density of more than 700 Watt hr/l and a specific energy of more than 250 Watt hr/kg which is twice as much as a conventional battery that is formed only on a single surface. The battery 20 comprises a first separation gap 100 a (d_(g1)) between the non-contact surface 42 a of a conductor 40 a on the substrate 24 and the cap 26 a, and a second separation gap 100 b (d_(g2)) between the non-contact surface 42 b of a conductor 40 b and the cap 26 b. Each separation gap 100 a,b has a gap distance d_(g1,2) that is sufficiently large to provide room for expansion of battery components. In one version, the gap distance d_(g1,2) is selected to be from about 1 μm to about 120 μm, and more preferably less than 10 μm. In this battery 20, the battery cells 22 a,b are connected in series with the electrical connectors 130 a-c, which terminate at the terminals 88 a,b.

FIG. 9 shows a serial arrangement of a battery 20 comprising a stack of substrates 24 a,b that each have dual battery cells 22 a,b as shown in FIG. 8. The cells are connected in series with electrical connectors 130 a-d which extend through and/or around the cells 22 a-c to terminate in two terminals 88 a,b. FIG. 10 shows another version of a battery 20 comprising substrates 24 a-c with multiple battery cells 22 a-e that are interconnected in a parallel arrangement, which also have electrical connectors 130 a-j extending around the cells 22 a-e to terminate in the terminals 88 a,b. The housing 131 in each of these arrangements can also be formed from metalized plastic films, polymer layers, ceramic layers or metal sheeting. These versions provide high specific energy levels and can be used in adverse environments.

An embodiment of a battery 20 comprising an arrangement of battery cells 22 a-h formed on a single surface 32 of a substrate 24 that is a rectangular sheet of mica is illustrated in FIG. 11A. The battery cells 22 a-h can be interconnected with one another in a series or parallel arrangement. For example, a first battery cell 22 a is connected in series to a second battery cell 22 b which is connected in series to a third battery cell 22 c, and so on. In FIG. 11A, as shown, an anode 60 a-h of a first battery cell 22 a has a tab that extends out to contact an intervening connector strip 130 a-g which in turn extends over or below an adjacent cathode current collector 72 b 1-8 of the adjacent battery cell 22 b. In the version shown in FIG. 11B, a first conductor 40 a 1 of a first battery cell 22 a, such as an anode 60 a 1 , is connected to a second conductor 40 b 2 of an adjacent second battery cell 22 b, such as a cathode current collector 72 b 2 of the adjacent cell 22 b. In each battery cell 22 a,b, the first and second conductors 40 a 1,b 1 or 40 a 2,b 2 are different conductors that are on opposing surfaces of an electrolyte 84 a,b that is between the conductors. For example, the first conductors 40 a 1,a 2 can be an anode 60 a 1,a 2, anode current collector, or a single conducting strip 130 b,c that serves as both the anode 60 a and anode current collector 72 a. Conversely, the second conductors 40 b 1,b 2 can be a cathode 60 b 1, b 2, cathode current collector 72 b 1, b 2, or a single conducting strip 130 b,c that serves as both the cathode 60 b and cathode current collector 72 b. The conducting strip 130 b,c is advantageous when it is desirable to minimize direct contact between the anode 60 a or anode current collector 72 a of one cell 22 a, and the adjacent cathode 60 b or cathode current collector 72 b of another cell 22 b, for example, when the anode and cathode materials would react with one another. The connector strip 130 serves as a chemical barrier or buffer strip between the two cells 22 a,b.

In one version, as shown in FIG. 11B, the electrical connector strip 130 b comprises a head 134 that extends over a first conductor 40 a 1 of a battery cell 22 a and a foot 137 that extends underneath a second conductor 40 b 2 of an adjacent battery cell 22 b, or vice versa, to electrically couple the battery cells 22 a,b to one another. For example, the first conductor 40 a 1 can be a cathode current collector 72 b 1 that is below another electrolyte 84 a and extends out from under the electrolyte, and the second conductor 40 b 2 can be an anode 60 a 2 that overlays the electrolyte 84 b. In this version, the battery cells 22 a,b are arranged in a row with an anode 60 a 1 of a battery cell 22 a abutting a cathode current collector 72 b 2 of an adjacent battery cell 22 b, and so on. At least one of the conductors, such as the conductors 40 b 1,b 2, has a non-contact surface 42 a,b that does not contact the substrate 24 to allow expansion of the battery cells 22 a,b in the direction of the non-contact surface 42 a,b. A cap 26 is spaced apart from the non-contact surface 42 a,b of the conductors 40 b 1,b 2 by a gap 100 having a gap distance d_(g1) of from about 1 μm to about 120 μm to complete the battery 20.

Referring back to FIG. 11A, the substrate surface 32 can also have more than one row, for example, a first row 136 a of battery cells 22 a-d and a second row 136 b of battery cells 22 e-h that are electrically connected to one another by an electrical connector strip 130 d that is a U-shaped strip which connects adjacent battery cells 22 d, 22 e at first ends 138 a,b of the first and second rows 136 a,b, respectively. The battery cells 22 a and 22 h at the second ends 140 a,b of the first and second rows 136 a,b are terminated with a negative terminal 88 a and a positive terminal 88 b, respectively. The negative terminal 88 a and positive terminal 88 b allow electrical connection of the battery 20 to the external environment.

The thin film components of the battery 20, such as the conductors 40 and electrolyte 84 are deposited on the substrate 24, or onto layers already on the substrate 24, and can have a number of different configurations, for example, positions and shapes, and should not be limited to the exemplary configurations which are described herein to illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention. These films are typically thin layers that have a thickness of from about 1 μm to about 100 μm; however, they may be thicker of even thinner depending on the desired current carrying capacity of the battery and its desired volume or weight. The thin film layers may be continuous, segmented or patterned. The thin films are typically be deposited by a PVD process, such as RF or DC magnetron sputtering of a target with a relatively high plasma density, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,632,563 to Krasnov et al., issued Oct. 14, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The deposition chamber may be a vacuum chamber comprising one or more sputtering targets and a process gas distribution manifold for distributing process gases into the chamber.

For example, to deposit an electrode 60, such as a cathode 60 b, comprising a material such as, for example, a crystalline LiCoO₂ film, a mixture of argon and oxygen gases is introduced into the chamber with a total pressure of 5 to 25 mTorr and a volumetric flow rate ratio of Ar/O₂ of from about 1 to about 45. The target comprises a disc of LiCoO_(x). Radio frequency (RF) sputtering of the target can be performed at a power density level of 1 to 20 W/cm². The LiCoO₂ film can be deposited on the substrate 24 at relatively low temperatures, such as less than 100° C. Thereafter, the deposited cathode material is thermally annealed to a temperature of from about 150° C. to 600° C. in an annealing gas comprising ambient oxygen to reduce the defects in the as deposited cathode material.

In another example, to deposit a current collector 72 a,b comprising a metal such as, for example, copper, the current collector 72 a,b is formed by depositing the metal using a sputtering system similar to the one used for deposition of the cathode. However, the sputtering gas may be pure argon and DC instead of RF magnetron; sputtering may also be used to sputter a target. To deposit a film comprising copper material, the target material comprising copper and a gas comprising argon is introduced into the chamber at a pressure of about 1 to 10 mTorr. The gas may be energized with DC energy at a power level of from about 0.5 to about 5 kW, and more preferably about 1 kW. The temperature of the substrate 24 may be maintained at less than 100° C. This is performed for 240 seconds to deposit a film of copper having a thickness of about 0.3 microns on the substrate 24.

In another example, the deposition of an electrolyte 84 comprising, for example, amorphous lithium phosphorus oxynitride material may be carried out in a vacuum chamber similar to that used for deposition of the cathode and cathode current collector. For example, the lithium phosphorous oxynitride may be deposited by RF sputtering of a lithium phosphate (Li₃PO₄) target in pure nitrogen at a power density level of from about 1 to about 20 W/cm². The flow rate of nitrogen gas is from about 100 to about 1000 sccm, and the gas is maintained at a pressure of less than about 20 mTorr, and more preferably at least about 1 mTorr. The sample is then annealed in nitrogen or in air at 200° C. for 10 minutes to increase the ionic conductivity of electrolyte and to reduce the resistance of any interfaces.

The above examples of methods to deposit the comprising films are only exemplary embodiments of methods to form the battery 20. Other methods may be used to fabricate the battery 20. Furthermore, the materials of the components described in the exemplary manufacturing methods are only exemplary materials, and components of the battery 20 may comprise other materials as described herein. The scope of the battery 20 should not be limited by the exemplary methods of manufacture provided herein.

While illustrative embodiments of the battery 20 are described in the present application, it should be understood that other embodiments are also possible. For example, the battery 20 may have a plurality of battery cells 22 arranged horizontally or stacked in a convoluted or non-symmetrical shape depending on the application. Also, the packaging assembly of the present invention can be applied to contain and hermetically seal other type of batteries, as would be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the scope of the claims should not be limited to the illustrative embodiments. 

1. A battery comprising: (a) a substrate comprising an electrolyte between a pair of conductors, at least one conductor having a non-contact surface; and (b) a cap spaced apart from the conductor with the non-contact surface by a gap having a gap distance d_(g) of from about 1 μm to about 120 μm, whereby the conductor can expand into the gap.
 2. A battery according to claim 1 wherein the gap distance d_(g) is less than about 10 μm.
 3. A battery according to claim 1 wherein the gap is bounded at least partially by the non-contact surface of the conductor and a plurality of side faces, and wherein the ratio of the area of the non-contact conductor surface to the total area of the side faces is greater than about 10:1.
 4. A battery according to claim 1 comprising a seal extending around the side faces of the gap.
 5. A battery according to claim 4 wherein the seal comprises at least one of: (1) a moisture permeability of less than about 1.75 g/(mil*100 inch²)/day; (2) is made from a conductive material; or (3) is made from at least one of epoxy, polymerized ethylene acid copolymer, Apiezon®, paraffin, wax, Surlyn® and mixtures thereof.
 6. A battery according to claim 1 further comprising a pliable dielectric within the gap.
 7. A battery according to claim 6 wherein the pliable dielectric comprises at least one of: (1) a material that does not react with the conductors; (2) a material that can withstand a pressure of up to about 1 kg/mm² with a thickness deformation of less than about 0.1 mm; (3) a moisture permeability of less than about 10 g/(mil*100 inch²)/day; and (4) is made from at least one of Apiezon®, paraffin, wax, mineral oil and mixtures thereof.
 8. A battery according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the substrate or cap comprises a sheet of mica, quartz, metal foil, metalized plastic film, metal casing, ceramic casing or glass casing.
 9. A battery according to claim 1 comprising a pair of electrical connectors extending though the gap to the external environment, each electrical connector being connected to at least one conductor.
 10. A battery according to claim 1 comprising a housing enclosing the substrate and the cap.
 11. A battery according to claim 10 wherein the housing comprises two pieces of metal foil about the substrate.
 12. A battery according to claim 1 wherein the cap comprises a metal foil or metalized plastic film.
 13. A battery according to claim 12 comprising a second cap about the substrate, the second cap comprising a metal foil or metalized plastic film.
 14. A battery comprising: (a) a first substrate comprising an electrolyte between a first pair of conductors, at least one of the conductors having a first non-contact surface; (b) a second substrate comprising an electrolyte between a second pair of conductors, at least one of the conductors having a second non-contact surface; and (c) a first gap about the first non-contact surface of the first pair of conductors and a second gap about the second non-contact surface of the second pair of conductors, the first and second gaps each comprising a gap distance d_(g) of from about 1 μm to about 120 μm, whereby the first and second gaps allow the first and second conductors to expand.
 15. A battery according to claim 14 wherein the gap distance d_(g) is less than about 10 μm.
 16. A battery according to claim 14 wherein the first non-contact surface faces the second non-contact surface and wherein the first and second gaps are both therebetween.
 17. A battery according to claim 16 comprising a cap between the first and second gaps, the cap comprising a metal foil or metalized plastic film.
 18. A battery according to claim 17 wherein the first and second gaps are each filled with a pliable dielectric.
 19. A battery according to claim 14 wherein the first non-contact surface faces a second substrate to form the first gap therebetween, and wherein the second non-contact surface faces a cap to form a second gap therebetween.
 20. A battery according to claim 14 wherein the first or second substrate comprises a sheet of mica, quartz, metal foil, metallized plastic film, metal casing, ceramic casing or glass casing.
 21. A battery according to claim 14 wherein each of the first and second gaps is bounded at least partially by a non-contact surface of a conductor and a plurality of side faces, and wherein the ratio of the area of the non-contact conductor surface to the total area of the side faces is greater than about 10:1.
 22. A battery according to claim 14 comprising a seal extending around the side faces of the gap.
 23. A battery according to claim 14 comprising a pliable dielectric in at least one of the first and second gaps.
 24. A battery according to claim 14 where the first and second substrates are connected in parallel with electrical connectors extending around the first and second substrates.
 25. A battery according to claim 14 where the first and second substrates are connected in series with electrical connectors extending through holes in the first and second substrates.
 26. A battery according to claim 14 comprising a pair of electrical connectors extending though the gap to the external environment, each electrical connector being connected to at least one of the first or second pairs of the conductors.
 27. A battery according to claim 14 comprising a housing enclosing the first and second substrates.
 28. A battery according to claim 27 wherein the housing comprises a pair of metal foils or metalized plastic films.
 29. A battery according to claim 14 comprising a first cap about the first gap, and a second cap about the second gap, the first and second caps each comprising a metal foil or metalized plastic film.
 30. A battery comprising: (a) a substrate having (i) a first surface comprising a first battery cell comprising a first electrolyte between a first pair of conductors, at least one of the first pair of conductors having a first non-contact surface and (ii) a second surface comprising a second battery cell comprising a second electrolyte between a second pair of conductors, at least one of the second pair of conductors having a second non-contact surface; (b) a first cap spaced apart from the first non-contact surface of a conductor by a first gap having a gap distance d_(g1) of from about 1 μm to about 120 μm, whereby the conductor can expand into the first gap; and (c) a second cap spaced apart from the second non-contact surface of a conductor by a second gap having a gap distance d_(g2) of from about 1 μm to about 120 μm, whereby the conductor can expand into the second gap.
 31. A battery according to claim 30 wherein the gap distance d_(g) is less than about 10 μm.
 32. A battery according to claim 30 further comprising a plurality of second substrates that each comprise a first surface with a first battery cell and a second surface with a second battery cell.
 33. A battery according to claim 32 wherein at least one of the first and second caps is a substrate having a surface with a battery cell.
 34. A battery according to claim 30 comprising a pair of caps about either surface of the substrate, each cap comprising a metal foil or metalized plastic film.
 35. A battery according to claim 30 wherein the first and second gaps are each filled with a pliable dielectric.
 36. A battery according to claim 35 wherein the first and second caps each comprise a metal foil or metalized plastic film. 